Many decades ago, I was at a party hosted by my dear friends Tina and Boy Forés. It was all about food, fun, and laughter. Among the spread of dishes on the table was a simple tuna pasta with cream sauce. It caught my eye, and after taking a bite, I ignored all the other dishes. When I asked who had cooked it, I was surprised to learn it was a 10-year-old girl named Gaita. That was where I first met Margarita “Gaita” Forés.

Many years passed, and I didn’t see her again. But I heard she had gone to Italy to study Italian cuisine. Fast forward to her return—she opened the doors of her restaurant, Cibo. It was the first time I had tasted authentic and delicious Italian cuisine. Many foreign chefs in hotels had Italian restaurants or outlets, but none of them truly impressed me except Caruso, an Italian restaurant in the Reposo area. Gaita’s cuisine made such an impact on me that I kept going back. Of course, I wrote about her restaurant and fine food.

I noticed something, though—wherever Gaita was cooking, the food was excellent. In her absence, the dishes were not the same. And I wrote this in my article. Through common friends, I heard she was irked at me. I should have told her directly instead of mentioning it in my piece. She was right. Today, at any Cibo location, the food is consistent. And authentic. I love her tuna sandwich with sea salt.

I have been to many of her catered events, and I must say she was one of the top caterers with her creative dishes (how sad to even use the word was). At one of her buffets, she served baked brie topped with crumbled peanut brittle from Baguio. It was not only brilliant—it was outstandingly delicious. At a Christmas gathering of cooking show hosts on Metro Channel, I remember she made a dome of red pasta with a simple yet incredibly flavorful sauce. She loved to create and surprise everyone with her cooking. A culinary genius—that’s what I loved to call her. Super galing!

We judged many culinary competitions around the country together. The last one was with Chef Tibong in Iloilo. We Manila chefs were invited to a culinary event hosted by Chef Tibong. In these events, we had a brief time for the function, but mostly, we were taken around to explore new dining establishments. Super fun. I remember asking Gaita how many Cibo restaurants she had at the time. "Thirty-two," she answered. Cibo is everywhere. In my mind, I asked myself, When do you rest? And she was very hands-on.

Gaita always surprised me with her food. Every time I watched a basketball game at Araneta Coliseum, no fail—it had to be Gaita’s Café Bola. I loved her food and creativity. Lusso is her upscale restaurant. Truffle burger! Who could think of a dish that, from the title alone, you would already be eager to devour? Only Gaita. Galing!

I will miss her culinary surprises. I will miss her simplicity and humility, even when she had all the credentials to boast about—her accomplishments and the wealth that backed her up. She was one of a kind. I will miss Margarita “Gaita” Araneta Forés. She is someone who will never be forgotten.

Thank you for being a friend.